Question: Comic Movie Adaptations

[Brandon Shepherd]

What are some good ones?

 

I have a few graded comics in my collection, comics that adapt motion pictures. Some of these are really cool, as they are pieces of memorabilia from some of my favorite films, like Blade Runner and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I also have a graded adaptation for Superman III (1983), not a film I'm particularly fond of, but the comic is a neat photo cover, and a welcome addition to my collection. I also have several raw issues and graphic novels that adapt popular films. Some of my first comics were from the Jurassic Park comic adaptation in 1993. I don't know if I can really count these as my first real comics, since they were purchased for the sake of picking up something related to a movie I really liked, and did not initially spark my interest in reading and collecting comics in general. Years later I would come to realize that the Jurassic Park comics from Topps Comics had some serious names with serious talent behind them, Gil Kane and George Perez on art, and Walter Simonson on words -- I had no idea who these people were or how talented they are in 1993. I also came across the comic adaptations for the original Star Wars trilogy when I was growing up. These adaptations are remarkable, especially for Empire Strikes Back. The creative team of Writer Archie Goodwin (Vampirella) and artists Al Williamson (Flash Gordon, Weird Science) and Carlos Garzon did a remarkable job at adapting the film, this is one of the few adaptations I have seen where the drawn characters actually look like the actors who played them. The same team also did a comic adaptation for Blade Runner (1982), another science fiction film with Harrison Ford. I'm quite fond of these examples, both works take films with unique visuals and transcend them to comic page, capturing the unique look and feel, without simply copying or imitating, making the adaptation feel like a comic book that stands on its own merit. Comic adaptations seem to be hit or miss, I find myself from time to time wondering about the process behind the scenes. When adapting a film, it can obviously be quite difficult to capture the likeness of a real person, especially a celebrity who is so recognizable. Also, movie scripts change quite a bit throughout the process, so comic adaptions will of course have dialogue that is very different from the finished film, and also may contain scenes that are removed from the final film as well. Faithfully adapting a film into a limited series could be like faithfully adapting a novel into a film, not everything can be included and many details will need to be left out to accommodate the limited space and time. Also, if the film is terrible to begin with, then the comics adaptation will likely follow suite. Another thing I think about on comic adaptations is the mindset of the writers and artist involved. They have to adapt someone else's work, it's not the writer's own story he or she is working on. I wonder if many of these adaptations were pretty much "spoon" assignments, resulting in projects with little heart and soul, rushed to print to simply become mere movie merchandise - it looks like Marvel adapted several films in the 1980s. Also, the writers and artist probably had limited reference materials to work with, especially if the comic adaptation was to be released at the same time as the film -- just speculation on my part, maybe there is more to this. I understand there was an adaption for the 1979 film Alien, "Alien: The Illustrated Story, done by Walter Simonson and Archie Goodwin. This looks to be a rare example of a comic adaptation that was well favored by readers and really stood on its own as a graphic novel, I'll have to check this out. With this, and the other examples I have mentioned, I'm curious to see if there are any other good comic adaptations out there. I would love to hear form others, about what adaptions they have read or had growing up, and also what are some real duds, let's write about it!

 

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[bagofleas]

These are all really neat. I have considered requesting a set be made of all of the comic movie adaptations since most of them are not even included in the registry, but haven't taken on the HUGE task of finding them all yet.

 

Between one shot comics, mini series, super specials and Marvel Graphic Novels, there are literally tons of movie adaptations between Marvel, DC and other publishers.

 

To make it worse, some movies have more than one comic adaptation. Like Blade runner and Willow and many others. These are very cool and I may yet endeavor to put together a comprehensive list for Nicole to tackle at a later date.

[Brandon Shepherd]

A set for all these is a good idea, your're right about the large number, think of Marvel adaptations alone!

[SW3D]

Great Journal Topic!

 

I used to collect the Marvel Super Special magazine which adapted movies.

 

The first issue I bought was 21 which adapted the movie Conan The Barbarian. It was some time before I bought another which adapted Buckaroo Banzai, soon followed by Dune and 2010.

 

I have to admit, these were all duds and other than Star Wars or The Empire Strikes Back, I can't recall any movie adaptations which were memorable.

 

I never read the Indy series, but I will take your word they're good.

 

Here's an odd tidbit: Marvel Super Special 7, an adaptation of the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band featuring the Bee Gees was never published in US. Here's the story:

 

Marvel Super Special #7, an adaptation of the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, by writer David Anthony Kraft and artists George Pérez and Jim Mooney was promoted on the "Bullpen Bulletins" page in Marvel Comics cover-dated January 1979. It was never published in the U.S. "because the book was late and the movie proved to be a commercial failure," according to a contemporaneous news account, which added, without substantiation, that, "Reportedly, Marvel's adaptation was published in Japan". A French translation was published by Arédit-Artima under two covers, one for the French market and one for the French-speaking Canadian market. A Dutch version with yet another different cover was published and for many years afterwards would pop up in bargain bins. It can still easily be found at collector's conventions.

 

Penciler George Pérez, recalled that Marvel had

 

"...nearly zero cooperation from the Robert Stigwood company [which produced the film] and we didn't realize that the -script was still in so much flux that things we were putting in the comic were not going to appear in the movie and things we didn't know about were going to be added to the movie. The plot was so convoluted and cheesy — even on the printed page — and after a while we realized it was not really going anywhere. They said they were going to have all these superstars appear at the end of the film and, of course, in the end they couldn't get them — not that we could have used them anyway, because we didn't have the licenses to use their likenesses. Also, I was paired with a very incompatible inker because the book was running so late. I was doing a terrible job on it, Jim Mooney was a terrible fit for me — though he did the best he could — [and] it was just one disaster after another. It was one of the nadirs of my career. I was so grateful that the book never got an American release. I've yet to see a copy of Sgt. Pepper."

 

So that's a rare one to have. Imagine getting Perez to sign a copy?

 

I may have to do that!

 

SW3D

[Brandon Shepherd]

A comic adaptation for Sgt. pepper, the Bee Gees version?! Wow, talk about a "spoon" assignment for the writer and artists! I never would have known this story if not for your response, that's exactly why I started this topic, thank you for that.

 

You mentioned the Dune adaptation, I had a feeling that one would be a dud. I think it would be cool if one could get Sting to sign a copy, I think his character is on the cover of #3.

 

If you find a copy of Sgt. Pepper, and have Perez sign it, I bet his reaction would be priceless.

[SW3D]

Well you know I love the HTF's, Ultra Rare's, and OAKs... so MSS 7 may be a comic on my radar! I just don't know how Perez would react seeing it for the first time.

 

I will be honest, I never understood the popularity of Frank Herbert's Dune. I thought the story was just too blah, the technology and environments clunky and boring, and the characterization a bit one-dimensional.

 

If I were to get a signature from Sting on a comic it would be for Saga of the Swamp Thing 37: the first appearance of John Constantine. Alan Moore admitted the character's physical features were inspired/drawn to resemble Sting. Wouldn't that be cool?... Stjng's autograph next to John Constantine first appearance!

 

SW3D

[Garlanda]

One of my favorite movie adaptations, just because it is so weird, is in Worlds Unkown 6...

 

photo credit to mycomicshop.com

 

If I remember the story correctly, Marvel wanted the issue to hit the stands at about the same time the movie was out, so the Marvel staffers assigned to create the issue had not even been able to see the movie. They just based their adaptation on the original short story, first printed in 1944, resulting in an adaptation that was not really very close at all.

 

Blam! Shoot that bulldozer in the face! Not a sentence with a lot of logic in it.

[SW3D]

Wow! I love the 70's for giving us so many cheesy comics, movies, and TV shows galore to make fun of.

 

I had no idea Killdozer was based on a short story by the legendary author Theodore Sturgeon.

I wonder if Stephen King was partly inspired by Sturgeon's story when he wrote Trucks (which is far superior than its movie adaptation Maximum Overdrive).

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

SW3D

[Brandon Shepherd]

That's awesome, Garlanda!

 

[Garlanda]

When I was looking for the previous publication dates, I read a synopsis of the original Killdozer story and it looked pretty good, actually. I sometimes suspect that people in the 70s were intentionally trying to be cheesy... It's like they assumed that no one would take something like this seriously, so why not camp it up as much as possible?

[Brandon Shepherd]

If I were to get a signature from Sting on a comic it would be for Saga of the Swamp Thing 37: the first appearance of John Constantine. Alan Moore admitted the character's physical features were inspired/drawn to resemble Sting. Wouldn't that be cool?... Stjng's autograph next to John Constantine first appearance!

 

SW3D

 

Interesting, I did not know of this. That would be a cool signature to have, I imagine Alan Moore and Sting in the same room would be quite an experience, and an interesting conversation.

[Brandon Shepherd]

Here is one for Dr. No, the first James Bond film from 1962, this was adapted in Showcase #43, April, 1963. I wonder if this is the first, or one of the first film adaptations in comics - time to do some research.

 

[newshane]

 

I will be honest, I never understood the popularity of Frank Herbert's Dune. I thought the story was just too blah, the technology and environments clunky and boring, and the characterization a bit one-dimensional.

 

 

SW3D

 

[Garlanda]

Here is one for Dr. No, the first James Bond film from 1962, this was adapted in Showcase #43, April, 1963. I wonder if this is the first, or one of the first film adaptations in comics - time to do some research.

 

I think it would be pretty tough to decide which was the actual first film adaptation. You'd have to really look into it. I just got in a mixed lot a Dell Four Color 228 (1949) of Mark of Zorro, but I think it's marketed as an adaptation of the original story, not the movie that so roused young Bruce Wayne (in some origins...) whereas your Showcase 43 clearly indicates it is from a novel and "film thriller!"

[Brandon Shepherd]

Here is one for Dr. No, the first James Bond film from 1962, this was adapted in Showcase #43, April, 1963. I wonder if this is the first, or one of the first film adaptations in comics - time to do some research.

 

I think it would be pretty tough to decide which was the actual first film adaptation. You'd have to really look into it. I just got in a mixed lot a Dell Four Color 228 (1949) of Mark of Zorro, but I think it's marketed as an adaptation of the original story, not the movie that so roused young Bruce Wayne (in some origins...) whereas your Showcase 43 clearly indicates it is from a novel and "film thriller!"

 

You're right, the more I think about this, the more I realize this will not be easy to determine. I pulled out my Gerber Photo Journals last night to see if I could find anything. I noticed a few Elizabeth Taylor photo covers from the 1940s or 50s, but there was no indication about adapting a particular film, these looked to be romance books. There were also a few titles about Hollywood romance, but they were not about any particular films. This will take more than a few Google searches to determine the first adaptation, also, there will have to be some guidelines.

 

The guidelines I'm thinking of are as follows:

 

1) The book has to have been released in proximity to the film's release.

2) The book also must be based on and inspired by a film, and cannot be merely inspired by, or based on the original story or novel, like your Zorro examples.

[SW3D]

This is interesting: the Sting and John Constantine connection:

 

http://www.qusoor.com/hellblazer/Sting.htm

 

SW3D

 

[SW3D]

Here's another connection between Alan Moore, Sting, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, and Arthur Koestler's The Roots of Coincidence...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roots_of_Coincidence

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Machine_(The_Police_album)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity_(The_Police_album)

 

Pretty cool huh?

 

SW3D

[Brandon Shepherd]

Here's another connection between Alan Moore, Sting, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, and Arthur Koestler's The Roots of Coincidence...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roots_of_Coincidence

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Machine_(The_Police_album)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity_(The_Police_album)

 

Pretty cool huh?

 

SW3D

 

Dear SW3D,

 

Cool! Ghost in the Machine is my favorite Police album! Until now, the only other person I could talk to, or geek out about, on Sting/The Police and these types of connections was my older brother, also a fan. Now, you have come forth, to pass along your knowledge. How did I miss the Sting - Constantine resemblance? That's what the Collector's Society is for!

 

I also noticed someone singing Walking on the Moon in the background somewhere in Watchmen.